
LETTER 



OF THE 



MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY 



Sons of the Revolution 



OCTOBER, 1896 



PART FIRST. 



COMPLETE 



Official Correspondence 



IN THE MATTER OF THE 



Proposed Consolidation 



OF THE 



Sons of the RevoMion 



AND THE 



Sons of the American ReYolntion. 



( '■■ ''^, 






In the matter of the Proposed Consolidation of the 
Society of the Sons of the Revolution and the 
Society of the Sons of the American Revolution: 

NOTE OF EXPLANATION. 

The following correspondence, read in connection with 
the resolution passed by the General Society of the Sons of 
the Revolution at their meeting held in Savannah on the 
20th of April, 1896, will in a great measure explain itself. 

It is proper, however, to state that your General Presi- 
dent, before sending any reply to the first communication 
of the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, con- 
sulted in New York a number of the General Officers of our 
society as to the character of such a reply, and they were 
unanimously of the opinion that the answer herewith sub- 
mitted and marked No. i, was entirely within the instruc- 
tions given to us in Savannah, and contained everything 
which we were authorized to say. 

The replies to the second and third communications were, 
after consultation, naturally based upon the first, and having 
once concluded that we could not exceed our instructions, it 
was impossible for us afterwards to appoint committees who 
would enter upon the wide field of discussion for the forma- 
tion of a new Constitution without the express authority or 
consent of our Society. 

JOHN LEE CARROLL, 

General President. 
September, 1896, 



The General Secretary of the Sons of the Revolution 
transmitted to the Secretary' General of the Sons of the Ameri- 
can Revolution the following preample and resolutions, pro- 
posed by Mr. Francis Ellingwood Abbott, Massachusetts 
Society, seconded by Mr. Robert Olyphant, New York 
Society, which were adopted at the meeting of the former 
Society, held April 20, 1896 : 

WJiereas^ The existence of two separate societies, with 
identical objects and nearly identical names, where one 
strong society alone ought to exist — to wit : Sons of the 
Revolution and Sons of the American Revolution — is an 
anomaly which perplexes the public mind, excites distrust 
of both societies, provokes injurious comment, alienates the 
sympathy of very many descendants of Revolutionary an- 
cestors whose aid is needed, and seriously interferes with 
the patriotic work to which both these societies are sincerely 
and equally devoted ; and 

Whereas^ Consolidation of these two societies in a single 
society, on the basis of a Constitution and Plan of Union 
which had been previously agreed upon at separate meet- 
ings of the General Society of Sons of the Revolution and 
the National Society of Sons of the American Revolution in 
the City of New York, February 16, 1893, failed on account 
of disagreement as to the submission of the original creden- 
tials and applications of all the members of all their respec- 
tive State Societies to a fresh examination and revision, in 
accordance with the provisions of the new Constitution 
agreed upon, as a necessary preliminary to enrolling mem- 
bers of the new consolidated society; and 

Whereas^ The necessity of this preliminary examination 
and revision, if the proposed new society is to be exclusively 
composed, and known to be exclusively composed, of actual 
descendants of Revolutionary ancestors, ought to be self 
evident; therefore, 

Resolved^ That we, the General Society of Sons of the 
Revolution, convened in Savannah on the 20th of April 
1896, hereby proffer, sincerely and fraternally, a standing 
invitation to the National Society of Sons of the American 
Revolution to unite with us in a single General Society, ac- 



cording to the terms of union whicli were liarmoniously 
agreed upon at the separate meetings of the two existing 
Societies in New York, February i6, 1893, as amended by 
striking therefrom the third paragraph of Article III, which 
provided for the admission of collaterals ; provided^ that 
prior to such actual union, the membership rolls of all the 
State Societies of both the existing societies, together with 
all the original credentials and applications on which mem- 
bership has been granted, shall be submitted for fresh ex- 
amination and revision to a competent and disinterested 
committee, so constituted by mutual agreement of the gene- 
ral officers as to command the entire confidence of both the 
uniting societies; a.\\d provided^ further, that this committee 
shall be empowered and instructed to erase the name of any 
member, on the roll of any State Society, by whose creden- 
tials and application it would appear that he is not entitled 
to membership under such requirements of Article III of the 
Constitution agreed upon at New York, February 16, 1893, 
as relate to direct lineal descendants ; to the end that mem- 
bership in the Consolidated Society shall be indubitable 
proof of descent from one or more revolutionary ancestors. 

Resolved^ That the Secretary of the General Society of 
Sons of the Revolution be instructed to transmit a copy of 
these resolutions to the Secretary of the National Society of 
Sons of the American Revolution, with an expression of our 
hope that they will be received in the same frank and kindly 
spirit in which they are sent, 

I hereby certify that the foregoing is a correct copy of the 
original. 

JAMES MORTIMER MONTGOMERY, 

Generai. Secretary^ 



In reply thereto the General Secretary Sons of the Revo- 
lution received from the Secretary General Sons of the Amer- 
ican Revolution the following preamble and resolutionSj. 
adopted by the last named Society at its meeting held April 
30, 1896: 

WJiereas^ the National Society of the Sons of the Ameri- 
can Revolution note, with sincere gratification, the growing, 

3 



sentiment in favor of a union with the Society of the Sons 
of the Revolution, upon terms which shall be well considered 
and equitable, and which shall tend to promote the honor, 
dionity, and largest usefulness of the societies and the patriotic 
and public spirited objects for which both are organized ; and 

Whereas^ the General Society of the Sons of the Revolu- 
tion, in triennial meeting assembled in the City of Savannah, 
Ga., April 20th Instant, did adopt resolutions extending a 
sincere and fraternal invitation to the National Society of the 
Sons of the American Revolution to unite with them in a 
single society ; and 

Whereas, the National Society of the Sons of the Ameri- 
can Revolution is heartily, sincerely, and fraternally desirous 
of a consolidation of the two societies, upon a well-considered 
basis, and is anxious to submit its rolls of membership to a 
most rigorous and searching examination by a competent 
and disinterested tribunal, in order that it may, once for all, 
in the eyes of all men, supply the indubitable proof of the 
eligibility of all its members, as lineal descendants of revolu- 
tionary ancestors ; now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, by the National Society of the Sons of the 
American Revolution, in annual congress assembled in the 
city of Richmond, Va., April 30th, 1896. That we do hereby 
send our most fraternal and cordial greetings to the General 
Society of the Sons of the Revolution, and declare without 
reservation our strong, sincere desire for a consolidation of 
the two societies into a single society upon a well-considered 
basis of union. 

Resolved, That we do hereby instruct the general officers 
of this society to submit the membership rolls and the original 
credentials and applications, on which membership has 
been granted, for a fresh examination to a competent and 
disinterested committee, so constituted by mutual agree- 
ment of the general officers of both societies as to com- 
mand the entire confidence of both societies, said committee 
i:o indicate the person or persons in each society who shall 
: not have indubitable proof of lineal descent from a revolu- 
:tionary ancestor, in accordance with the plan of consolida- 
rtion„ agreed to by the committees of conference in 1893, but 
now voluntarily amended by the Society of the Sons of the 



Revolution by omitting the paragraph which provides for 
the admission of collaterals ; and the National Society of the 
Sons of the American Revolution does hereby pledge itselt 
to erase from its rolls of membership the names of all per- 
sons indicated by said committee as not having indubitable 
proof of lineal descent. 

Resolved^ That we hereby empower the general officers of 
this society to appoint a committee of able, competent, and 
disinterested men, who shall confer with a like committee 
of equal size, appointed by the general officers of the Sons 
of the Revolution, to agree upon a basis for the union of the 
two societies ; to the end that said plan of union, together 
with the report of the Committee on Revision of the Mem- 
bership Rolls, may promptly be transmitted by the general 
officers of both societies to their respective State societies 
for approval, so that when a majority of the State societies 
of each organization shall have approved the same, said 
general officers may cause a special congress of the united 
societies to be elected upon the basis of the new constitution 
to form a national organization. And, further, we do hereby 
pledge the National Society of the Sons of the American 
Revolution heartily and sincerely, to labor for the removal ol 
every possible cause of disagreement between the two socie- 
ties and to effect a satisfactory union at the earliest possible 
date. 

Resolved^ That the President General and the Secretary 
General of this society are instructed immediately to com- 
municate this preamble and accompanying resolutions to 
the officers of the General Society of the Sons of the Revo- 
lution, with the assurance of our fraternal regard, and our 
desire that a union of the two societies may speedily be 
effected. 

HORACE PORTER, 
(Seal.) President General* 

FRANKLIN MURPHY, 

Secretary General. 

I hereby certify that the foregoing is a correct copy of the 
original. 

FRANKLIN MURPHY, 

Secretary General. 



The following correspondence has also been had : 

I. 

146 Broadway, 
New York, May 25, 1896. 
Franklin Murphy, Esq., 

Secretary General Sons of the American Revolution, 
No. 143 Chestnut Street, Newark, N. J. 
Sir: 

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your 
favor of May 9th, enclosing certain resolutions which were 
unanimously adopted by the congress of the Sons of the 
American Revolution, assembled in Richmond, Va., on the 
30th day of April, 1896. 

In reply to your communication I have been instructed by 
the General OflEicers of the Society of Sons of the Revolution 
to say, that they appreciate most highly the earnest desire 
for a fraternal union of the two societies as expressed by the 
resolutions of the National Society of Sons of the American 
Revolution, and that the General Officers of the Society of 
Sons of the Revolution, under the authority of the resolu- 
tions adopted by that society at its meeting held April 20th 
ultimo, (a copy of which is enclosed) are prepared to appoint 
an able and disinterested committee to examine the creden- 
tials of the members of both societies. 

I am instructed further to say that when this committee 
has completed its work as to the revision of the lists, and 
when the names of those in either society who have been 
found disqualified for membership have been erased from 
the rolls, the General Officers of this society will be prepared 
to unite in a call for a congress of the two societies, so that 
they may form one great national organization upon the 
basis of union and by the adoption of the Constitution agreed 
upon by the representatives of both societies on February 
16, 1893, as amended by the General Society of Sons of the 
Revolution at its triennial meeting in Savannah, on the 20th 
day of April, 1896. 

I have the honour to remain your obedient servant, 

JAMES MORTIMER MONTGOMERY, 

General Secretary. 



II. 

Newark, May 29, 1896. 
James M. Montgomery, Esq., 

General Secretary', Sons of the Revolution, 
56 Wall Street, Room 5, New York. 
Dear Sir : 

I have already had the honor to acknowledge the receipt 
of your communication of May 25, 1896, which I took 
pleasure in submitting to the General Ojflicers of this Society. 
They instruct me to say in reply that they will be happy to 
meet the General Officers of your Society at the Waldorf 
hotel, at 3.30 P. M., on Wednesday, June 3, or any other 
afternoon of next week which your Officers may find more 
convenient, for the purpose of selecting by mutual agree- 
ment a committee to examine the credentials of the mem- 
bers of both Societies as contemplated in the resolutions 
adopted by the two bodies ; that upon receiving its report 
they will strike from the rolls the names of those who may 
be found to be disqualified for membership, and that they 
will be prepared to form one organization upon a basis of 
union to be mutually agreed upon by a new conference com- 
mittee as proposed in the resolutions adopted by the Sons of 
the American Revolution, at Richmond, Va. 

I am instructed further to call attention to the fact that 
no mention is made in your communication of the provision 
embodied in the resolutions of this Society for the appoint- 
ment of " A committee of able, competent and disinterested 
men, who shall confer with a like committee of equal size, ap- 
pointed by the General Officers of the Sons of the Revolution 
to agree upon said basis of union." Our officers would be 
glad to be informed whether it is the intention of the Officers 
of your Society to appoint such a committee. 

It is thought that the constitution prepared and submitted 
by the committees of the two Societies on February 16, 1893, 
and which failed of adoption, may be made more satisfactory 
by new committees, considering the fact that both Societies 
have undergone changes, contain many new members un- 
familiar with the proceedings of 1893, and have learned 
much from experience since that time as to the requirements 
which should be embodied in an instrument so important as 



that which is to constitute the organic law of a large and im- 
portant consolidated society. Strength is given to this belief 
by the fact that your society has already suggested an im- 
portant amendment, namely, prohibiting the admission of 
collaterals, which will be accepted gladly by this society, as 
such a prohibition has always existed in the constitution 
of the Sons of the American Revolution, and by the further 
fact that the proposed constitution of 1893 contained con- 
flicting language and provisions which neither societ}- pre- 
sumably would now want to have incorporated in the per- 
manent law which is to govern the joint society. 

The provision for the appointment of such committees by 
the two societies was embodied in the resolutions passed by 
this society, for the reason that it was supposed that it would 
be more satisfactory to both societies to have a full discussion 
of the subject and ascertain whether there are not advan- 
tageous changes which could be made that would meet with 
the assent of the two organizations. 

I am further instructed to convey to you the assurance that 
our General Officers are willing and anxious to unite with 
you in taking all steps, within their power, to promote the 
much desired object of a permanent union. 

Yours truly, 

FRANKLIN MURPHY, 

Secretary General. 



III. 

New York, June 8, 1896. 
Franklin Murphy, Esq., 

Secretary General Sons of the American Revolution, 
No. 143 Chestnut street, Newark, N. J. 

Dear Sir: 

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your 
communication of the 29th of May, 1896, in reply to my letter 
of the 25th ultimo. 

I am instructed by the General Officers of the Society of 
the Sons of the Revolution to say that there appears to 
have been a misunderstanding on the part of the Society of 

8 



the Sons of the American Revolution as to the meaning of 
the resolutions which were passed by this society on the 
20th of April last at Savannah. I take the liberty of enclos- 
ing a copy of those resolutions for closer examination. 

You will see by the terms of the first resolution, that a 
standing invitation is tendered to the Society of the Sons ol 
the American Revolution "to unite with us in a single 
society according to the terms of union which were unani- 
mously agreed tipofi at the separate meetings of the two 
existifig societies in New York, February i6, 1893, as 
amended by striking therefrom the third paragraph ot 
Article III, which provided for the admission of collaterals." 

The action of the Society of the Sons of the Revolution in 
their reply of the 25tli of May, 1896, was limited by the terms 
and scope of the resolution adopted at Savannah, and they 
felt that they had no power to exceed the instructions which 
were given to them at that meeting. They therefore ex- 
pressed their readiness to appoint a committee of disinter- 
ested gentlemen to examine the credentials of the members 
of both societies, as this was the only committee which they 
were authorized to name. 

I am instructed further to say, that however opinions 
may differ as to the value of the terms of agreement which 
were adopted in February, 1893, it must be remembered that 
those terms were the result of many conferences of the rep- 
resentatives of both societies, and were supposed at the time 
to cover every point about which in future any dispute could 
arise. 

The meeting of two committees now, as proposed by the 
Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, to consider 
a " basis of union," would necessarily open up the whole 
subject, as to name, insignia, qualifications, etc., etc., all ot 
which the Society of the Sons of the Revolution looked upon 
as concluded by the terms of agreement adopted in 1893. 

This society therefore regrets very much that the union 
of the two societies should now be made by your society to 
depend upon the adoption of a " new basis," when they had 
considered those important questions settled in 1893. 

In conclusion I would respectfully repeat that the power 
of the General Officers of this Society is limited by the reso- 



lution passed at Savannah, and they have no authority to 
appoint any committee but that which provides for the ex- 
amination of the credentials of the members of both societies. 
I have the honor to be your obedient servant, 

JAMES MORTIMER MONTGOMERY, 

General Secretary. 

IV. 

Newark, N. J., July 28, 1896. 

James Mortimer Montgomery, Esq., 

General Secretary, Sons of the Revolution. 

Dear Sir : 

I have the honor now to reply to your favor of June 8th, 
which I took pleasure in submitting to the General Officers 
of this society. 

They have instructed me to say that there was no mis- 
understanding on their part as to the wording of the resolu- 
tions which were passed by your society at Savannah, but 
the propositions expressed in our communication to you of 
May 29th were made in the hope that under the circum- 
stances, and in consideration of the general desire for prompt 
action in regard to union, your officers would take the re- 
sponsibility of acceding to the appointment of a committee 
to meet a committee named by this society to discuss the 
most important of all questions — a fair basis of union and to 
see whether such committees could not by mutual agreement 
unite upon a plan which could at least be submitted to the 
societies for their action. 

The resolutions of your society adopted at Savannah 
looked to the formation of a single society, upon the tenns 
of union set forth in the proposed constitution of February 
16, 1893, with an amendment thereto. It was, therefore, 
naturally supposed that as your society had made an amend- 
ment to that document without consultation with this society, 
the privilege should be accorded to this society of taking 
steps looking to the making of other amendments in con- 
sultation with your society. 

The Savannah resolutions speak of the constitution of 1893 
as having been adopted by the societies whereas the proceed- 



ings show that that constitution failed to be adopted. Some 
of the reasons for believing that it is necessary for both socie- 
ties to have conference committees take up the plan of 
reorganization anew, are as follows : 

The proposed constitution of 1893 was prepared when the 
societies were small and without large experience in the 
means of carrying out the purposes of a great national 
patriotic organization. Of the present members, one-half 
perhaps, of each society have joined since the proceedings of 
1893 and it would seem fair that they should have a right to 
be heard in a matter of such importance as a constitution 
for the goverment of a permanent union of these organiza- 
tions. 

The proposed constitution of 1893 is so defective that it is 
believed that your officers will agree that a large Society could 
not possibly work successfully under its provision. For in- 
stance, the last paragraph of Article III states that the 
Board of Managers of each State Society shall have full and 
exclusive power to determine the qualifications of applicants 
for membership, with power to expel or reject all applica- 
tions. Article VIII says that the General Society shall have 
power to admit State Societies and determine all questions 
affecting the qualifications of membership which may by 
proper memorial be presented for consideration. This lan- 
guage is confusing and seems to be contradictory. 

Besides, that constitution makes no provision for the filing 
of a copy of the credentials of members with the Registrar 
General of the National Society and does not sufficiently de- 
fine his duties or give him enough power to fix his responsi- 
bility in passing upon the validity of credentials. It pre- 
scribes the form of a seal which we are informed was long 
ago adopted by the Washington Continental Guard of New 
York City, which, having used the seal for many years, 
would apparently be entitled to continual use of the same 
without infringement. 

It names the last Wednesday in April as the day for the 
annual meeting when it has been the custom of both 
societies to meet on some patriotic anniversar}^, which gives 
a meaning and a purpose to the occasion. 

It also provides that the larger Society shall take the exact 



name of the smaller Society, and it is assumed that that 
would mean coming under the charter of the latter Society, 
and be a complete and absolute absorption by one Society of 
the other, instead of a union of the two. The Society of the 
Sons of the American Revolution has never intimated, and 
does not now even suggest that its name be adopted by the 
joint Society, but thinks that possibly some equally good 
title, not the exact name of either Society, might be accept- 
able to both; for instance, the Society of the Revolution or 
the Society of the American Revolution. The adoption ot 
some such name would be following the almost universal 
custom in naming patriotic Societies, among which may be 
named the Society of the Cincinnati ; the Society of the Col- 
onial Wars ; the Society of the Colonial Dames ; the Society 
of Foreign Wars; the Society of the Army of the Potomac, 
etc., etc. There are many who think there is more dignity 
attached to these names from the fact that they do not con- 
tain the word " Sons," a term which seems to suggest that 
the organization is composed of juveniles instead of adults, 
like the Junior Guards, Junior Veterans, Children of the 
Revolution, etc. It is advisable also to consider the subject 
of name for the reason that the plan of consolidation should 
provide for the largest possible usefulness and grandeur of 
the united Societies. The Sons of the American Revolution 
already have a Society in the new Republic of Hawaii, where 
no Society of this class could probably exist under the name 
simply of "Sons of the Revolution." It is entirely practic- 
able to form branch Societies in other foreign lands, if the 
title be specific in indicating that it is the American Revolu- 
tion, from which eligibility is derived. 

Again, the constitution of 1893 makes no provision for 
organizing chapters in the different states. The fonnation 
of chapters is becoming a prominent feature in the Sons of 
the American Revolution; it does much for the convenience 
of the members and is important as a means of enlarging 
membership. It therefore seems beyond dispute that the 
proposed constitution of 1893, i^^ ^^^ present form, is seriously 
defective and obsolete. It seems to be of paramount im- 
portance that an instrument which is to form the organic 
law of a large and influential Society should be prepared be- 



forehand so that the present Societies will know exactly 
what provisions are to govern the new organization. It may 
be said that after the adoption of the constitution it could be 
amended at pleasure by the joint Society, but your officers 
will probably agree with ours that it would be most unfor- 
tunate to have a feeling pervade the minds of the members 
of the Societies that after adopting a constitution embody- 
ing a basis of union there were to be immediate changes made 
in it. In union, upon a comprehensive and complete basis, we 
would hope to adjust all differences and put an end to con- 
troversy, whereas a union upon a basis which would call for 
immediate changes in the Constitution would precipitate dis- 
cussion and sow the seeds of discord. It would also look as 
if a majority might want to overrule the will of a minority, 
would manifest a disposition to continue the idea that there 
had existed two separate Societies and might jeopardize the 
success of the contemplated union. 

While the committee on credentials is performing its 
work, there will be ample time for conference committees to 
discuss a proper and permanent basis of union. If these 
committees could not agree upon a satisfactory plan, there 
would be no harm done, except the loss of time to the in- 
dividuals composing the committee. You will observe that 
this Society is instructed to take such a course by the resolu- 
tions passed at Richmond, and while your General Society 
may not have authorized your committee to proceed so far, 
doubtless if such a course has the approval of your General 
Officers a committee would be willing to discuss the whole 
question in the hope that an agreement for union might be 
reached; in which case such an agreement could be sub- 
mitted to the Congresses of both Societies next Spring, 
unless special Congresses should be called sooner, and, if 
accepted, union could then be had almost at once. It is 
only proper to say that in the oj)inion of our officers the 
feeling of our Society is that — earnestly and sincerely desir- 
ing union as it does, it nevertheless feels that such a union 
should be upon a basis that would be deemed fair after con- 
sidering all that there is to be presented from the points of 
view and experience of both Societies, and which would in 
the judgment of our most dispassionate and well informed 

13 



members, promote the highest usefulness of the united 
Societies. 

If, however, your Officers decline even to appoint the con- 
ference committee proposed we would be glad to be in- 
formed whether they will, under the circumstances wish to 
proceed with the work of scrutinizing the credentials of the 
members in both Societies. If so, our General Officers in- 
struct me to say that they will be most happy to enter at 
once upon that branch of the subject in the hope that the 
eliminating of one point of dispute will bring the two organ- 
izations that much nearer to a union so much desired by all. 

In the present temper of the membership of both Societies, 
it is likely that union will go on piece-meal by the uniting of 
the various state Societies, and it would seem desirable that 
the National Societies should take the matter up more com- 
prehensively and submit some definite plan to the State 
Societies, which, if adopted, would be the means of forming 
a union that would be harmonious, permanent and com- 
plete, and calculated to ensure the highest usefulness of the 
Societies. 

Yours very truly, 

FRANKLIN MURPHY, 

Secretary General. 



V. 

New York, August nth, 1896. 

Franklin Murphy, Esq., 

Secretary General Sons of the American Revolution, 
No. 143 Chestnut street, Newark, N. J. 

Dear Sir: 

I have submitted your communication of the 28th 
of July to our General President, and in reply I am in- 
structed to say, that whatever may be the views of the 
members of the two societies upon the question of framing 
a new Constitution for a great National United Society, the 
General Officers of the Sons of the Revolution are bound to 
consider their power as limited by the resolutions passed at 
Savannah in April last, and have tendered to the Society of 
the Sons of the American Revolution a cordial invitation to 

14 



unite with them upon terms wholly within their instruc- 
tions. This invitation, we now consider, has been rejected 
by your society, and in its place a totally new proposition 
has been submitted to us, upon which your society has been 
authorized to act, and we are invited to co-operate without 
the authority of our members. It would be impossible for 
us to take this action, and inasmuch as the examination of 
the credentials of the members of both societies could only 
be of value in case of prospective union, we cannot appre- 
ciate the importance of the appointment of a committee un- 
less we were assured that further steps would be taken by 
your society to correspond to the invitation which has been 
tendered to you. 

I have the honor to be your obedient servant, 

JAMES MORTIMER MONTGOMERY, 

General Secretary. 



VI. 

Newark, N. J., September 21, 1896. 

James Mortimer Montgomery, Esq., 

General Secretary, Sons of the Revolution. 

Dear Sir : 

I received your communication of August nth, and 
have submitted it to our General Officers. I am instructed 
by them to say in reply that they greatly regret that your 
communication seems to take it for granted that on account 
of a conflict of instructions under which the General Officers 
of our respected Societies are acting, there has been reached 
a condition of affairs in our negotiations which leads your 
Officers to terminate them without an effort to procure a 
wider authority from the members of your Society, and with- 
out deeming it of sufficient importance to proceed with the ex- 
amination of the credentials of the members of both Societies 
with a view to taking the preliminary steps looking to a 
union of the Societies. 

It is true that the Congress of the Sons of the American 
Revolution gave to its General Officers a more extended 
authority than the Congress of the Sons of the Revolution 

15 



gave to its Officers, but in a mattei of so much importance 
to both organizations, and regarding which there is such an 
earnest feeling on the part of the members, it was trusted 
that your Officers would discuss through conference commit- 
tees, a fair and equitable basis of union, and would mean- 
while proceed with the scrutinizing of the credentials of the 
members of both Societies, a work which will require a con- 
siderable time. The results reached by such committees 
would, of course, have no binding force without the sanction 
of your Congress, but they would bring the representatives of 
the two organizations into intimate communication, secure a 
free interchange of views and lead perhaps to a joint under- 
standing which would assist our respective Congresses in 
reaching a harmonious action. 

We understand, however, that your Society by corres- 
pondence and without the holding of a personal conference 
between your Officers and ours, rejects all our propositions 
looking to bringing about such action, and instead of co- 
operating with us with a view to forming a basis of union by 
mutual agreement, insist upon an absorption of our Society 
into yours, by taking your name, acting under your charter 
and conducting the business under a constitution which has 
been shown in a previous letter, to be seriously defective, 
obsolete and practically impossible for both. We can only, 
therefore, express our extreme regret that in spite of the 
earnest efforts made by this Society both in 1893 and in the 
present year, the much desired negotiations for union have 
been brought to a stand-still. 

Yours very truly, 

FRANKIvIN MURPHY, 

Secretary General. 
16 



COPY OF 

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE'S REPORT, 

DECEMBER 22, 1892. 

To 

General Horace Porter, 

President General of the Sons of the American Revolution, 
and 

Hon. John lyEE Carroll, 

President General of the Sons of the Revolution. 

The Committees of the Sons of the American Revohition 
and Sons of the Revolution, to whom was entrusted by their 
respective societies the duty of conferring upon the ques- 
tion of union of the two societies, beg leave to present this 
their joint Report. 

First: They desire to express their gratification at the 
cordiality, harmony and enthusiasm that have marked their 
deliberations, and the unanimity which has attended their 
conclusions. 

Second : The desirability of eflfecting a union being con- 
curred in by all, the Committees of Conference addressed 
themselves at once to the consideration of the questions 
essential to the accomplishment of the desired result. These 
were: 

1. Name. 

2. Colors. 

3. Insignia. 

4. New Constitution. 

Third: The Committees unanimously decided and do 
now recommend : 

1. That the Sons of the American Revolution and Sons 
of the Revolution do unite in one organization. 

2. That the society so constituted be named Sons of the 
Revolution. 

17 



3- That its colors be buff and blue. 

4. That its insignia be, in its general features, that of the 
Society of the Sons of the American Revolution ; that its 
seal be of the form hereinafter described. 

5. That its Constitution be as follows : 



The Constitution of the General Society 



Sons of the Revolution. 



ARTICLE I. 

The name of the Society shall be the "Sons of the 
Revolution." 

article ii. 

The objects of this society are, to perpetuate the memory 
of the men who, in the military, naval or civil service of the 
Colonies and of the Continental Congress, by their acts or 
counsel, achieved the Independence of the country ; to fur- 
ther the proper celebration of the anniversaries of the birth- 
day of Washington, and of prominent events connected with 
the War of the Revolution ; to collect and secure for preser- 
vation the rolls, records and other documents relating to that 
period ; to mark by appropriate monuments historic places ; 
to impress upon the present and future generations the pa- 
triotic spirit which actuated our ancestors and established the 
Republic of the United States, and to promote the feeling of 
friendship among its members. 

ARTICLE III. 

Any man is eligible for membership who is of the age of 
twenty-one years and who is lineally descended from an 
ancestor who, with unfailing loyalty, rendered material aid 

18 



to the cause of American Independence as a military ofl&cer, 
minute-man, soldier, sailor or marine, or a civil officer in tlie 
service of any of the several colonies or states, or of the 
United Colonies or States, whose services as such official 
shall appear by public official record made at the time, and 
provided such man be found worthy. 

Provided further, that when the claim of eligibility is 
based on the service of an ancestor as a civil official, such 
service must have been performed in the civil service of the 
United States, or of one of the thirteen original States, and 
must have been sufficiently important in character to have 
rendered the official specially liable to arrest and imprison- 
ment, the same as a combatant, if captured by the enemy, 
as well as liable to conviction of treason against the Govern- 
ment of Great Britain, 

And provided further, that when there shall be no sur- 
viving issue in direct lineal succession from an officer, min- 
ute-man, soldier, sailor, or marine, who died or was killed in 
actual service, or from an officer who received by formal 
resolve the approbation of the Continental Congress for 
Revolutionary services, or from a signer of the Declaration 
of Independence, the claim of eligibility shall descend and be 
limited to one representative at a time in the nearest collat- 
eral line of descent from such ancestor, to be designated by 
the State Society ; and no other descendants in collateral 
lines shall be admitted in right of any services whatever. 

The Board of Managers of each State Society shall have 
full and exclusive power to determine the qualifications as 
to worthiness and eligibility of applicants for membership 
under this Article, with power to accept or reject all appli- 
cations. 

ARTICLE IV. 

The General Society shall be divided into State Societies, 
which shall meet annually on the day appointed therefor in 
their respective by-laws, and oftener, if found expedient. 
The Secretar>' of each State Society shall transmit to the 
General Secretary a list of its members, together with the 
names and official designations of those from whom such 

19 



members claim membership, with a list of ofificers elected at 
each annual meeting. 

ARTICLE V. 

The State Societies shall regulute all matters respecting 
their own affairs consistent with the general good of the 
Society, judge of the qualifications of their members and of 
those proposed for membership, subject, however, to the 
provisions of this Constitution, and may expel any member 
who, by conduct unbecoming a gentleman or man of honor, 
or by an opposition to the interests of the community in 
general, or of the society in particular, may render himself 
unworthy to continue in membership. 



ARTICLE VI. 

The expenses of the General Society shall be borne by 
the State Societies by assessment pro rata according to mem- 
bership. 

ARTICLE VII. 

The regular meeting of the General Society shall be held 
every year on the last Wednesday of April in the city of 
New York, unless otherwise designated, and special meetings 
may be held upon the order of the General President, or 
upon the request of two of the State Societies, and such 
meetings shall consist of the General Officers and a represen- 
tation from each State Society not exceeding one delegate 
from each one hundred members of such State Society and 
every fraction of one hundred over fifty, and, ex-officio^ the 
President, Secretary, Registrar and Historian of each State 
Society, and two delegates-at-large from each State Society. 

The expenses attending the annual meetings of the Gen- 
eral Society shall be borne by the General Society. 



ARTICLE VIII. 

At the regular meeting a General President, Vice-Presi- 
dent, Secretary, Treasurer, Chaplain, Registrar and Historian 



shall be chosen by a majority of the votes present, to serve 
until the next regular general meeting or until their succes- 
sors are duly chosen. 

The General Society shall have power at any meeting to 
admit State Societies thereto, and to entertain and determine 
all questions affecting the qualification for membership in, 
or the welfare of, any State Society, which may by proper 
memorial be presented by such State Society for considera- 
tion. 



ARTICLE IX. 

The insignia of the General Society shall be a cross sur- 
mounted by an eagle in gold or silver, and a rosette. 

The cross shall be of silver, with four arms, and eight 
white enamelled points, same size as Chevalier's Cross of 
the Legion of Honor of France, with a gold medallion in the 
centre, bearing on the obverse a bust of Washington in pro- 
file, and on the reverse the figure of a minute-man sur- 
rounded by a ribbon enamelled buflf and blue, with the motto, 
*' Libertas et Patria," on the obverse, and the legend, " Sons 
of the Revolution," on the reverse, both in letters of gold. 
The cross shall be surmounted by an eagle in gold or silver, 
and the whole decoration suspended from a ring of gold by 
a ribbon of dark blue, ribbed and watered, edged with buflf, 
one and one-quarter inches wide and one and one-half inches 
in displayed length, and may be worn by any member of the 
Society on ceremonial occasions only, and shall be carried 
on the left breast, or, if an officer, on the collar, and shall 
never be worn as an article of jewelry. The custodian of this 
insignia shall be the General Secretary, who shall issue the 
same to the members of the society under such proper rules 
as may be formulated by the General Society, and he shall 
keep a register of such issues, wherein each insignia issued 
may be identified by the number thereof. 

The rosettes shall be seven-sixteenths of an inch in diam- 
eter, of usual pattern, displaying the colors of the Society, 
and may be worn by all members at discretion in the upper 
left hand button-hole of the coat. 



ARTICLE X. 

The seal of the General Society of the Sons of the Revolu- 
tion shall be one and seven-eighths of an inch in diameter, 
and shall consist of the figure of a minute-man in Continen- 
tal uniform standing on a ladder leading to a belfry and 
holding in his left hand a musket and an olive branch, and 
grasping in his right hand a bell rope ; above, the cracked 
" Liberty Bell ;" issuing therefrom a ribbon, bearing the 
motto of the Sons of the Revolution, " Exegi Mo7iumentuni 
^re Pere7i7iius f* across the top of the ladder, on a ribbon, 
the figures " 1775," and at the left of the minute-man, and 
also on a ribbon, the figures " 1783 ;" the whole encircled by 
a band three-eighths of an inch wide, thereon at the top thir- 
teen stars of five points each, and at the bottom the legend, 
" Sons of the Revolution ;" the following being a fac-simile 
thereof : 




The custodian of the seal shall be the General Secretary. 



ARTICLE XI. 



This Constitution may be amended, provided two-thirds 
of the members of the General Society present at any gen- 



eral meeting or special meeting shall approve, and provided 
further, that notice of such motion to amend, specifying such 
proposed amendment in full, shall be given in writing to the 
presiding officer of the General Society and of each State 
Society at least sixty days before such motion is to be con- 
sidered. 



Fourth : That this proposed union may be made effectual 
this Committee further recommends : 

1. The presentation of its report to the respective Na- 
tional Societies of the Sons of the American Revolution and 
Sons of the Revolution at meetings to be called for that pur- 
pose on Thursday, the i6th day of February, 1893, in the 
City of New York, and the adoption at such meetings of a 
resolution recommending the union of the two societies and 
the adoption of the proposed Constitution. 

2. At a joint meeting immediately thereafter, of the two 
General Societies, the adoption of the new Constitution and 
election of officers, to serve until the last Wednesday of 
April, 1894, or until their successors are elected. 

All of which is respectfully submitted. 
New York, December 22, 1892. 

FRED'K S. TALLMADGE, 

President of the Sons of the Revolution of the 
State of New York. 

JONATHAN TRUMBULL, 

President of the Connecticut Society Sons of the 
American Revolution. 

CHAS. H. WOODRUFF, 

Delegate New York Sons of the Revolution. 

HORACE PORTER, 

President General Society Sons of the America 
Revolution and Chairman General 
Conference Committee. 



JOHN LEE CARROLL, 



General President Society of Sons of the Revo- 
lution. 



23 



BRADLEY T. JOHNSON, 

President Maryland Society Sons of the American 
Revolution. 

EDWIN SHEPARD BARRETT, 

President Massachusetts Society Sons of the 
American Revolution. 

JOHN WHITEHEAD, 

President New Jersey Sons of the American 
Revolution. 



O. H. ERNST, 



Delegate from District of Columbia Sons of the 
Revolution. 



WM. RIDGLEY GRIFFITH, 



Delegate from Maryland Society Sons of the 
American Revolution. 

THOMAS W. HALL, 

Delegate from Maryland Society Sons of the 
Revolution. 

SAM. W. PENNYPACKER, 

Delegate Sons of the Revolution of Pennsylvania. 

RICHARD McCALL CADWALADER, 

vice-President and Delegate Sons of the Revolu- 
tion of Pennsylvania. 

CHARLES HENRY JONES, 

Delegate Sons of the Revolution of Pennsylvania 

ROBERT LENOX BELKNAP, 

Delegate New York Society Sons of the Revolution. 

JAMES MORTIMER MONTGOMERY, 

Secretary of Committee of Conference. 
General Secretary Sons of the Revolution. 
Secretary of Sons of the Revolution State of New 
York. 

NATHAN WARREN, 

Registrar Massachusetts Society Sons of the 
American Revolution. 

24 



PART SECOND. 



Letter 



OFiTHE 



Massachusetts Society 



TO THE VARIOUS OTHER 



State Societies 



OF THE 



Sons of the Revolution 



OCTOBER 26, 1896 



Massachusetts Society 

Sons of the Revolution. 



Officers Elected April 20, 1896. 

President, Clement Kelsey Fay. 
Vke-Frestdefit, George Silsbee Hale. 

Secretary, Henry Dexter Warren. 

Treasurer, Andrew Robeson. 

Registrar, James Atkins Noyes. 

Historian, Francis Ellingwood Abbot. 

Chaplaiii, Rev. Leonard Kip Storrs. 

BOARD OF MANAGERS. 

Frank Harrison Briggs, Arthur Briggs Denny, 

Walter Oilman Page, Frank Merriam, 

William Curtis Capelle, Edward Tobey Barker, 

Frederick Banker Carpenter, Howard Eaton Hayden, 
Francis Apthorp Foster. 

DELEGATES TO GENERAL SOCIETY, '97. 

Francis Ellingwood Abbot, Henry Dexter Warren, 

Francis Rollin Spalding, Philip Reade, U. S. A., 

Winthrop Wetherbee. 

ALTERNATES. 

Hon. William Eustis Russell {deceased), 
Hon, William Franklin Draper, 
Rev. Edward Everett Hale, 
Benjamin Franklin Stevens, 
John Hoffman Collamore {deceased'). 



Letter 

OF THE 

Massachusetts Society. 

Boston, October 26, 1896. 
To Our Brother State Societies, 
Greeting : 

In the foregoing pages will be found the complete official 
correspondence growing out of the standing invitation which, 
at Savannah, April 20, 1896, the Sons of the Revolution 
unanimously extended to the Sons of the American Revolution 
to unite with them in a single national organization. This 
correspondence as it stands is the record of a mortifying 
failure — a failure especially mortifying to you and to us, 
since the correspondence itself cannot but create a general 
impression, which we must all regret, that the representatives 
of the Sons of the Revolution have been diplomatically de- 
feated, and put apparently in the wrong, by the representatives 
of the Sons of the American Revolution. It reveals, to be 
sure, a transparently honest purpose in our representatives to 
obey the instructions of the General Society, and to abide 
scrupulously by the letter of these instructions ; but it also 
reveals a failure on their part to understand the true character 
of the Richmond resolutions, and a consequent failure to keep 
out of a trap which, whether intentionally or unintentionally 
placed there, actually opened before them. Interpreting the 
Richmond resolutions as a general acceptance of the Savannah 
invitation, when in truth they were a simple evasion of it, our 
representatives allowed themselves to be drawn into a discus- 
sion which has ended in their being held responsible them- 
selves for the absolutely inevitable result of this evasion. 
Not only is the union so earnestly desired by the vast majority 
in both societies completely defeated for the present, but — 
what is extremely unjust and injurious to us — the blame for 
this defeat seems to be thrown at last upon our own shoulders, 



By this correspondence, we ourselves are adroitly made to 
appear responsible for the continuance of that very disunion 
which we were doing our honest best to heal; for, when we 
ourselves, in our own invitation, amended the Constitution 
agreed on by both societies in 1893, yet without consulting 
the other society^ with what face can we refuse to recognize 
the right of that society to discuss further amendments to it 
in courteous consultation f Manifestly, if we stiffly decline 
even to consider the proposition of the Sons of the American 
Revolution for further amendments of that Constitution, and 
make acceptance of it just as it stands our absolute ultimatum 
(which was certainly not the intention or the spirit of the 
Savannah invitation), how can we complain, if the cool com- 
mon sense of the community condemns us at last to bear the 
whole burden of responsibility for a schism which all the best 
men in both societies deeply deplore ? 

That is the forlorn predicament in which you and we now 
find ourselves left, as the outcome of this unfortunate official 
correspondence. The situation is so undignified, so discredit- 
able, so unendurable, that we of the Massachusetts Society now 
invite you, our brethren in the other States, to unite with us 
in calling a special meeting of the General Society, in order 
to extricate ourselves from the mortifying position in which 
the correspondence leaves us. 

A thorough understanding of the facts is necessary to a 
thorough understanding of the correspondence and its results. 

In the first place, the Savannah resolutions were nothing 
but a "standing invitation." This simple fact, kept steadily 
in mind, would have obviated the confusion on both sides. 
In strictness of propriety, an invitation cannot be argued or 
debated ; it cannot be made a source of controversy ; it can- 
not be modified by the recipient ; it can only be accepted or 
rejected. When Mr. Smith invites Mr. Brown to dine with 
him on Thursday, it would not be considered "good form " for 
Mr. Brown to reply that he will be happy to dine with Mr. 
Smith on Friday. It is not easy to see why the same rules of 
courtesy which obtain between individuals should not equally 
obtain between societies. 

Now the Richmond resolutions were not intended or 
understood at the time to be an acceptance of the Savannah 



invitation without change. This fact is evident in the report of 
the proceedings, as published in the " Spirit of '^6 " for May. 
The Richmond resolutions (printed in full in the correspond- 
ence above) were introduced by the Hon. Ebenezer J. Hill, 
representing an "informal and unpremeditated conference," in 
the parlor of the President-General, on the previous evening. 
The Hon. Robert B. Roosevelt, however, moved the following 
as a substitute for Mr. Hill's resolutions: — 

"// zs Resolved, That the Society of the Sons of the 
American Revolution cordially accepts the proposition for the 
consolidation of the two societies on the terms indicated, it 
having been always opposed to the admission of any but 
lineal, descendants of Revolutionary ancestors ; and the Presi- 
dent is hereby authorized to appoint a committee of five to 
meet a similar committee of the Sons of the Revolution, with 
full power to agree upon terms for carrying into effect the 
foregoing resolution." 

This would have been a cordial and unambiguous accept- 
ance of the Savannah invitation. But objections to it were 
urged by Mr. Hill, the President-General, and Mr. Avery; in 
consequence of which, " Mr. Roosevelt withdrew his resolution 
with a few pleasant remarks, and was rewarded with applause. 
The resolutions [of Mr. Hill] were then unanimously adopted 
by a standing vote, amid much applause." 

The four Richmond resolutions, then, were certainly 
neither an acceptance nor a rejection of the Savannah invita- 
tion, but rather a fundamental change of it. The first was an 
expression of fraternal sentiments. The second was an ac- 
ceptance, not of the invitation, but merely of its two provisos y 
relating to the appointment of a Joint-Committee of Revision 
and the dropping of any member of either society whom they 
should report to be ineligible. The third, however, was a radi- 
cal change of the invitation itself, the very essence of which 
was to unite under the Constitution and Plan of Union already 
agreed to in 1893 ; whereas this resolution, ignoring the basis 
proposed, called for another "basis of union," to be agreed on 
hereafter by a new Joint-Committee of Conference. 

Clearly, then, the Richmond resolutions were a seeming 
acceptance, and yet a real evasion, of the substance of the 
Savannah invitation. They apparently deceived the Richmond 



convention itself, in which the general desire for union was 
undoubtedly as genuine and strong as it was in our own con- 
vention at Savannah. They certainly deceived our own 
representatives, as proved by the letter of May 25, printed 
above in the official correspondence. For this letter proposes, 
first, to go on with the appointment of a Joint-Committee of 
Revision, and, secondly, to go on with the calling of a Joint- 
Congress of the two societies, on the basis of the report of 
this Joint-Committee of Revision and the Constitution already 
agreed to in 1893, but now ignored; while it takes no notice 
of the proposal to appoint a Joint-Committee of Conference for 
the purpose of arriving at a new and "well-considered basis of 
union." It thus treats the Richmond resolutions as a general 
acceptance of the Savannah invitation, whereas they were in 
fact a mere evasion of it. By thus misunderstanding these 
resolutions, it unconsciously invited the diplomatic defeat 
which followed. For there is no possibility of denying suc- 
cessfully the justice of Secretary Murphy's courteous but 
crushing retort, when he says in his letter of July 28 : — 

" It was, therefore, naturally supposed that, as your society 
had made an amendment to that document without consultation 
with this society, the privilege should be accorded to this 
society of taking steps looking to the making of other amend- 
ments in consultation with your society." 

This grave charge of inconsistency on our part cannot be 
successfully repelled, as the case has been left by this official 
correspondence. It was a capital error, therefore, even from 
a merely diplomatic point of view (to say nothing of equity or 
equal rights), when the letter of May 25 construed the Rich- 
mond resolutions as a general acceptance of the Savannah 
invitation. For it failed altogether to provide any way by 
which further minor amendments of the Constitution of 1893 
might be jointly effected, yet without abandoning that Con- 
stitution as, on the whole, a "well-considered basis of union." 
The mischievous effects of this error in diplomacy at the start 
appear too plainly in Secretary Murphy's final letter of Sep- 
tember 21, by which the blame for the lamentable failure of all 
these negotiations is so adroitly shifted from the evasiveness of 
the Richmond resolutions to the insinuated unwillingness of 
our own officers to have any union at all on any terms. The 



fact is that, those resolutions being what they are, no other 
outcome of the negotiations could have been reasonably ex- 
pected ; for they neither accepted nor rejected our invitation, 
but evaded it, and, under cover of discussing it, though dis- 
cussion of an invitation is clearly out of place, pressed upon 
our officers a proposition for the appointment of a Joint-Com- 
mittee of Conference which, of course, exceeded their powers. 
If the framers of the Richmond resolutions had themselves 
really wanted union, they could have had it with ease by 
simply accepting Mr. Roosevelt's resolution as a substitute for 
their own. There would have been no difficulty in securing, 
by mutual consent, whatever further amendments of the Con- 
stitution of 1893 are really needed. But the real reason for 
the failure to effect consolidation at this time lies in the 
evasive character of the Richmond resolutions, and the official 
correspondence ought to have made this fact plain to all the 
world. 

At the very meeting of May 21 which authorized the 
sending of the unfortunate letter of May 25, our Massachusetts 
representative, Dr. Abbot, submitted the following resolutions 
as a proper reply to Secretary Murphy's communication of the 
Richmond resolutions : — 

Whereas, We have received with pleasure the very friendly 
resolutions of the National Society of Sons of the American 
Revolution, adopted at Richmond, Va., April 30, 1896, in 
response to the invitation of the General Society of Sons of 
the Revolution to unite with us in a single society on the well 
considered basis of the Plan of Union separately approved and 
harmoniously agreed upon by both societies at New York, 
February 16, 1893; and 

Whereas, We unfeignedly rejoice that the only point of dis- 
agreement which prevented consolidation of the two societies 
at their conference of February 16, 1893, namely, disagreement 
as to a fresh examination and revision of the membership rolls 
of both societies alike, has now been very handsomely removed 
by the frank and cordial consent of the National Society of 
Sons of the American Revolution to join with us in effecting 
such fresh examination and revision, as a necessary preliminary 
step to actual consolidation of the two societies ; and 



Whereas, No basis or plan of union could possibly have a 
better title to the epithet "well considered" than the plan 
which was separately and deliberately debated at length, and 
then independently adopted, by each of the two societies at 
New York, February i6, 1893 ; and 

Whereas, The only possible result of appointing new and 
unnecessary committees of conference would be to reopen 
vexed questions now happily closed forever, to revive old con- 
troversies or provoke new ones, and to postpone indefinitely, if 
not to defeat altogether, that harmonious and complete organic 
union which both societies have so much at heart ; and 

Whereas, The general officers of the Sons of the Revolu- 
tion have no authority whatever to reconsider, much less to 
alter, the terms of an invitation extended by the General 
Society itself, but must patiently wait until the invitation has 
been honored with a distinct acceptance or rejection by the 
party invited : therefore, 

Resolved, That we send our most cordial greetings to the 
National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, and 
thank them for having magnanimously removed the original 
and only important cause of disagreement in the past, by 
voting at Richmond in favor of fresh examination and revision 
of the membership rolls, as a condition precedent to actual 
consolidation of the two societies. 

Resolved, That the sole remaining obstacle to such consoli- 
dation will have been removed, whenever the National Society 
of Sons of the American Revolution shall signify its willing- 
ness to unite with us in a single general society in accordance 
with the eminently fair and equal terms of our invitation, and 
to proceed without delay to carry out the well considered Plan 
of Union already approved by both societies at their conference 
of February 16, 1893. 

Resolved, That the invitation extended at Savannah is a 
standing invitation, as cordial as it is sincere ; and we earnestly 
hope it will yet be accepted without reservation, to the end that 
a schism which should never have existed may be healed for 
all time to come, on terms which are conspicuously honorable 
and practicable, just, equal and fair to all concerned. 

Resolved, That, if the National Society of Sons of the 
American Revolution desire now to amend or to strike out 



any particular provisions of the Constitution and Plan of Union 
which both societies unanimously agreed to in 1893, we fra- 
ternally suggest that they formulate all such desired changes, 
together with the reasons for them, and transmit to us a certi- 
fied copy of the same ; and we pledge ourselves to secure a 
full, candid and generous consideration of them at the next 
General Assembly of the Sons of the Revolution, with a view 
to arriving at last at a perfect mutual understanding and a 
satisfactory, firm, and lasting basis of union. 

No action whatever was taken upon these resolutions. 
In our opinion, if our General Officers had made them their 
answer to the resolutions adopted at Richmond, there could 
have been no complaint of their unwillingness to have any 
union at all, no complaint of their inconsistency, no complaint 
whatever of their arbitrariness or want of a conciliatory spirit. 
Yet they would have maintained with firmness the impreg- 
nable position taken at Savannah, and constrained the Sons of 
the American Revolution either to accept our invitation 
explicitly, or else to accept for themselves the responsibility 
of explicity rejecting it. For, without wavering or weakening 
in our contention that the Constitution of 1893 is on the 
whole a "well considered basis of union," they would yet have 
offered a practicable method of effecting conjointly whatever 
further amendments may be inherently reasonable or just. 
Such an answer would have rendered it ridiculous that we 
should be charged, as we now find ourselves charged, with 
secret unwillingness to effect consolidation on fair, equal, and 
consistent terms. This is the charge now brought against us 
as a Society, if not in distinct language, at least by necessary 
and obvious implication ; and it seriously affects our dignity, 
our self-respect, and our honorable standing before the world. 
Shall we submit to it in silence, or shall we make a determined 
effort to set ourselves right, not only in our own eyes, but 
equally in the eyes of all } 

We believe that you, as well as we, feel the moral 
necessity of prompt action in our own behalf, in order to vindi- 
cate the now impugned sincerity of our Savannah invitation, 
and in order to extricate ourselves from the undignified situa- 
tion in which we have been left by this official correspond- 



ence. We ask you, therefore, to join with us in convening a 
special meeting of the General Society at the earliest practi- 
cable date. According to our General Constitution, such a 
meeting may be held " upon the order of the General President 
or upon the request of two of the State Societies." The more 
numerous the States are that join in the request, so much 
greater will be its weight, influence, and importance. We 
hope, therefore, that you will all unite with us in requesting 
the General Ofificers to summon a special business meeting 
of the General Society, at some place and time to be fixed by 
them, but, if possible, not later than January or February, for 
the purpose of considering and acting upon the following 
resolutions, which will be, and hereby are, submitted to the 
General Society by the Massachusetts Society : — 

Whereas, We are unable to consider the resolutions 
adopted by the Sons of the American Revolution at Richmond, 
April 30, 1896, as either a definite acceptance or a definite re- 
jection of the invitation extended by us to them at Savannah, 
April 20, 1896 ; and 

Whereas, We have been ofificially informed that the Sons 
of the American Revolution object now to certain particulars 
of the Constitution and Plan of Union which, having been 
harmoniously agreed to by both societies in 1893, was for that 
reason, with a slight amendment of our own, made the basis of 
the Savannah invitation : therefore. 

Resolved, That the invitation which we extended at 
Savannah was, by its own express terms, a "standing invita- 
tion," and remains, therefore, in full force today, notwithstand- 
ing the disappointing failure of the official correspondence 
founded upon it — a failure, however, which resulted inevitably 
and solely from the undecided character of the answer given 
to the invitation itself. 

Resolved, That, undiscouraged by this failure, we now 
renew our invitation unchanged ; but that, in order to meet 
courteously and fairly the expressed desire of the Sons of the 
American Revolution for further modifications of its basis, we 
now fraternally suggest that they formulate with precision all 
such desired changes, together with the reasons for them, and 
transmit to us a certified copy of the same ; and we pledge 



ourselves to secure a full, candid and generous consideration 
of them at the next General Assembly of the Sons of the 
Revolution, with a view to arriving at last at a perfect mutual 
understanding and a satisfactory, solid, and lasting basis of 
union. 

Resolved, That our General Secretary be instructed to 
send a copy of these resolutions to the General Secretary of 
the Sons of the American Revolution, with assurance of our 
sincere desire for a speedy and successful issue of these pro- 
tracted negotiations. 

Believing that the method here proposed for reaching 
mutual agreement is not only more democratic, but also more 
likely to prove effective, than the method of secret conference 
committees, which has hitherto signally failed, we respectfully 
propose these measures for your thoughtful consideration. 

By unanimous order of the Board of Officers and Managers 
of the Massachusetts Society of Sons of the Revolution, at its 
regular monthly meeting held at Boston, October 26, 1896. 



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